Online Safety Basics For Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day 2018

For those of you who don’t know, today is Safer Internet Day! Each year, the INHOPE network (International Association of Internet Hotlines) works to bring about awareness for the many online dangers that exist today. So in honor of Safer Internet Day 2018, we’ve compiled a helpful list of the most important online safety tips everyone should follow.

Online Dangers

Knowing what dangers to look out for is another way you can remain safe online. Without a doubt, one of the most prevalent online dangers in recent years is cyberbullying. Part of the reason why cyberbullying has become such a problem is that young children are being exposed to technology. A recent study found that over 75% of children under the age of 8 have access to a smartphone or tablet. This stat has gone up almost 25% in just two years.

Run A Background Check On Anyone Instantly

First and Last Name

Please enter first name and last name.

So if you’re the parent of a young child, how can you deal with the threat of cyberbullying? Well, one of the best ways would be installing cell phone monitoring software onto your child’s smartphone or tablet. By doing so, you can be sure that if your child ends up being cyberbullied, you can step in and make sure it never happens again.

Beyond The Basics

One of the best ways to protect yourself against hackers is to make sure all your devices are up-to-date.

In addition to the basic tips detailed above, there are a few more things you can do to secure yourself online. For instance, if you’re having trouble coming up with strong passwords, you can download a password manager to assist you. These programs are great for storing all of your passwords in a single, secure location. Simply download the software onto your computer or smartphone and the app will automatically generate and store secure passwords for each of your online accounts. Some popular password managers include LastPass, 1Password, and Dashline.

I’m sure most of you have heard about the massive security breaches at Yahoo and Equifax. Unfortunately, these security breaches do not only affect these major companies. The fact is, most people are affected in some way by these breaches. In order to protect yourself, the first thing you should do is check to see if you’ve been affected. Most companies will setup a website you can access to see if any of your information has been stolen. If you discover that your accounts have been compromised, make sure you change any passwords related to those accounts.

Another important thing to remember is to always enable automatic updates for your internet connected devices. One of the easiest ways for hackers to break into your devices is through outdated software. However, if you’ve set your devices to automatically update, you won’t have to worry about this.

What are you doing to protect yourself this Safer Internet Day? Let us know in the comment section below!